Blog

If you’re wondering why Twitter isn’t working for you, sometimes changing the way you think about the platform is key. As a content producer who has been using it for some time, I see too many people relying on minimum postings and big followings.

If you’re a “just post 1-2 things a day” marketer, let me draw your attention to a recent post from Kim Garst called “The State of Twitter”? In it, Garst, as well as Ted Rubin, Larry Kim, Peg Fitzpatrick and other experts pull some insights based on what’s happened on Twitter in the last quarter. Their data showed that the Tweeters that get top 20 percent of the of the traffic/clicks are Tweeting 80 TIMES A DAY. The Lower 80% - 14 times a day. Consider this and compare it to how many times you’re tweeting per day.

If you really want to make an impact, it’s easy to seek out the accounts that have the biggest followings, right?

So, does this mean you need to Tweet 80 times a day and go after only those with smaller followings?

​No.

Consider increasing frequency – Some of those prominent probably have teams or significant automation time and resources at their disposal. You don’t have to be exactly like them, but if you’re only tweeting 80 times a month, increase that number a little more.

Don’t obsess over giant numbers – Sure those big follower accounts look good, especially if they follow you. However, many of them also have a lot of people they’re following. So, you’re competing with a lot of content in their feed.​Focus on value – Instead of making followers be the key to your follow, make it about value. Find people that engage with other people and share content that’s relevant to you. If they have a smaller following, it might be a little easier to curate a meaningful relationship with that colleague.The good news is, these are actions you can take on Twitter right now. So, follow some new people, and tweet a little more today!

I’m a content marketer who has been using Twitter to share content and make connections. Like you, I’m working to stay up to date on social media content trends. That’s why I’m in the Social Media Marketing Specialization classes on Coursera. I’m on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook, so let’s connect and share notes!

Once you release a podcast episode, you'll obviously want to share it on social media. However, you cannot forget that you're competing with a lot of noise on Twitter. Nonetheless, I still see plenty of Tweets like this:

Our latest podcast is now available! Check it out - (Link)orEpisode 52 of the show is out now - (Link).

My initial response is...so?

I don't know anything about that episode. Plus, if this is the first time I've seen your podcast, you just lost a chance to intrigue me. Just like other forms of content (blogs, video), you need to post something that might get me or someone else to click on it. An episode number or simply saying, "check it out" isn't going to be enough for most people.

Use hashtags, images or clever text to draw attention to your latest episode.

I'll give you a personal example. When I was first learning how to do this, I posted a generic Tweet about my latest episode. As you can imagine, it didn't get much response. Then I thought I would highlight something specific that might get people to click on the link.

This episode featured an interview with Anthony Michael Hall, and he had some interesting things to say about playing Kelly LeBrock's love interest in Weird Science. So, I tweeted about that (in some fashion), and it got a much larger response. In fact, it got Kelly LeBrock's attention as well. She began following the show on Twitter.

So, don't share meaningless episode numbers or generic call to actions. Get attention and intrigue the audience! If I can help your podcast in other ways, contact me anytime!

If you're trying to grow your following on Twitter, there are several things you can do. There are some universal strategies that tend to work, and some ideas that may only work for some people. At the end of the day, I think the most important thing you can offer a potential follower is VALUE. With that in mind, here are some things I think Twitter accounts can reduce in order to be more valuable.

Automatically Generated MessagesThere is nothing more robotic and anti-personal that an automatic message that gets triggered after you follow someone. This is especially true if it's some sort of pitch to buy, visit or follow something. This has been around so long it's obvious when it's done. At least try to fool somebody!

One tip-off is usually that it doesn't address someone by name. If you're going to send a message, please do that. Show that you care, and you're making a genuine attempt to connect or start a conversation. If this is truly SOCIAL media, let's not make an algorithm do all of the communicating for us.

Twitter Feeds That Feature Nothing But Posts and PromotionLook, I understand that promotion and sharing content is part of what makes your account valuable. However, can you show us there is a human behind the account from time to time? I think it's a much better representation of your presence if I see you tweet to someone, tweet something original or even reply to someone on a regular basis. It just looks like your Twitter feed is more than just a posting service.

Twitter Feeds That Feature a Bombardment of PromotionAgain, it's social media, and therefore people aren't there to be hammered with sales pitches or self-promotion. I think it's better to pick your spots after you've spent 90 percent of your time sharing other content of value AND interacting with other people. It's all about being a little less "look at me" and a little more "engage with me".

Now, I realize someone could say, "Hey, Scott...I have 2 bazillion followers! What do you know?" I would say there are plenty of films that made a lot of money at the box office, but it doesn't mean it was an awesome movie. I'm not suggesting what you're doing is wrong, I just think you could add even more value with a couple of tweaks.

Let's connect!

I'm known for my people skills, conceptual creativity, work ethic and ability to write/produce content for any client or project. I have a natural passion for creating content, helping others and building relationships. There are several different ways we can connect. Let's put our content powers together and win the day!